Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures (PHEMC) Enterprise

Role of HHS in Biodefense Preparedness

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has the lead responsibility within the Federal government to protect the civilian population against the adverse health effects of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats by providing leadership in research, development, acquisition, and deployment of effective medical countermeasures.  This role is identified in the National Strategy to Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction, Biodefense for the 21^st Century, and Medical Countermeasures Against Weapons of Mass Destruction, which collectively articulate the President’s blueprint for the Nation’s CBRN defense programs.

Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise

• The Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise (PHEMCE) is a coordinated interagency effort by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and includes three primary HHS internal agencies:  the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  The mission of the PHEMCE is to:
  • Define and prioritize requirements for public health emergency medical countermeasures;
  • Integrate and coordinate research, early- and late-stage product development, and procurement activities addressing the requirements; and
  • Set deployment and use strategies for medical countermeasures held in the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS).
• The PHEMCE considers medical countermeasures to address CBRN, as well as naturally emerging infectious diseases and pandemic threats, including pandemic influenza.